Transcript
Speaker: Welcome to Chatsunami.
Speaker: Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of Chazu Shorts! So recently, you may have heard of a little indie show going around recently called Fallout. Now all joking aside, we all know the drill when it comes to video game adaptations. These days they're either the greatest thing to grace our screens and deliver us from poor content, or the worst in an actual Fallout scenario. But if you've been online recently, you'll know that this show is, for better or worse,
Speaker: taking the internet by storm. But why is this? Can we really chalk up the show as one of the greats? Or should we be running to our vaults? Please note that today's episode will be completely spoiler free, but if you want to go into the show completely blind, then please feel free to pause the episode, go grab a nuka cola, and binge the lot before coming back.
Speaker: Without any further ado, let's set the world on fire and find out why the series is so impactful. Based on the 1997 game of the same name, Fallout centres around three core characters. The first is Lucy, played by Ella Purnell, a naive vault dweller forced to find her father on the surface of the wastelands. Cards on the table here, my knowledge of Fallout is minimal.
Speaker: as I've only played through a little bit of 3, 4 and New Vegas, but never quite finished them. As a result, there's a few gaps in my knowledge which Lucy's journey fills in well, as her ignorance to the brutality of the surface was harrowing at times to witness. Nevertheless, I felt endeared to her plight as her happy -go -lucky attitude was slowly eroded away, no doubt like an actual Fallout playthrough after the 50th fetch quest.
Speaker: The second character we get to know is Maximus, a knight in training of the Brotherhood of Steel played by Aaron Moten. Even if you don't know Fallout well, then you'll recognise the iconic armour worn by the Brotherhood. As a power armour fan myself,
Speaker: I'll admit that while it looks cool, I always felt like when they removed the helmet, it looks a bit goofy. Regardless, Maximus's journey of self -discovery, of what it truly means to be a knight, is a fascinating one, as he's not always seen to be virtuous despite his best efforts.
Speaker: It's interesting to see how he develops throughout the series, thereby contrasting greatly to Lucy's naivety, as he knows little about the world of The Vault's first hand. The final and arguably my favourite of the trio is the character of Cooper Howard slash The Ghoul, played by Walton Goggins.
Speaker: Cooper is an aging cowboy actor whose fame leads him to some rather interesting situations, while his new life in the wastelands shows him completely different to how he began. Initially seen as a heroic figure, he descends into a world weary and emotionally drained killer, the quintessential traits of a bounty hunter in a land that cares little for rules.
Speaker: He's also the character that has the bulk of flashback scenes, and for a show about the world of Fallout, it's fascinating to see how things got the way they became through his eyes. Initially he may seem little more than a girl with no name, hunting down those who have wronged him, like a living western film, but he does it in a way that you can believe the world has warped his outlook. It's a tragic tale that once again endures you to his character.
Speaker: And with that, I must admit that I think the acting in this series is brilliant. Each actor smashes it out of the park with their performances, and it really makes you want to know more about their struggles. For context, I watched this with my partner, who has no knowledge of Fallout, while mine was minimal. Despite this, we both
Speaker: I thoroughly enjoyed the series, albeit covering our eyes at some of the more visceral violence on display that the show does not shy away from. As for the plot itself, it seems like a quest plucked out of the games. Lucy wants to find her father, Maximus wants to become a knight and the ghoul wants his bounty, but throughout the series they are constantly sidetracked by setback after setback until they reach the end.
Speaker: And it's this somewhat simplicity that keeps things intriguing, all the while throwing obstacles needed to advance the story. That being said, the second costume design looks spectacular. I know I've said this phrase before, but it does look like it's been plucked out of the games. What's even cooler is that the props and clothing actually feel like part of the world, rather than just an elaborate cosplay.
Speaker: Although I get the feeling that a lot of comic -ons are gonna be overrun by people in blue jumpsuits in the next few months. I feel as if I must address the elephant with two heads in the room. As a video game adaptation, it's gonna be held to a higher standard than some other shows, especially since the source material is so beloved with some successful series like The Last of Us,
Speaker: to ones that never quite hit the ground running like Halo. Where does this one fall? Again, I'm not going to pretend I have an encyclopedic knowledge of the franchise, or that I've finished any of the games all the way through. But between what I've played and what I saw, I feel that this is a solid adaptation that most people will enjoy. Despite complaints about some game events being retconned, there's still a solid show in here.
Speaker: and it makes me hopeful that one day adaptations will take notes from Fallout's approach as opposed to Halo's. So should you watch it? My only caveat is that so long as you're not opposed to heavy amounts of violence, then you should enjoy this show well enough. There's a few minor flaws here and there that I could pick apart, but at the end of the day, this is a solid show. And while I would love to go in depth, this is one review you're gonna have to wait for. So what did you think of Fallout?
Speaker: Dream adaptation you were hoping for? Did you think it did a great job of capturing the world of the games? Or is this a show that we should be sheltering from? Whatever your thoughts, please feel free to reach out and let us know. But until next time, stay safe, stay awesome and most importantly, stay hydrated.
